Return to Childhood
by Chef Erica
Summary: The Sequel to Shadows of the Past, my first fic. If you haven't read it already, you might want to go back and do so to understand the references that will definitely be in here. Chap 3 added. And as always, please R&R.
1. A Day at the Beach

So far it had been a beautiful day, even for the Plateau, and the occupants of the tree house were taking full advantage of it. At Veronica and Finn's urging, the chef tossed family was going on a picnic on the beach of the Inland Sea.  
  
The sun shown brightly, and a strong salty breeze blew in across the water. Marguerite reclined in the beach chair Challenger had constructed for her for her birthday as she watched Roxton and Veronica building a sand castle. Finn skulked up behind them carrying a bucket of seawater, and dumped it over "Vee," as she called her.  
  
Finn took off with Veronica in hot pursuit, both laughing at the horseplay. Marguerite laughed as well, and smiled up at Roxton as he made his way toward her and Challenger, who had laid aside his work for the afternoon and was calmly reading Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of Earth."  
  
Roxton plopped down on the blanket beside her and casually draped his arm across her lap while commenting, "Those two are going to wear me out."  
  
"That's only because you're getting old," she teased. Challenger grunted from his spot on the blanket, eliciting a giggle from her.  
  
"I don't see you out there keeping pace with them, either," he challenged in an offended tone.  
  
Marguerite smiled, "Maybe not, but I could swim circles around either one of you."  
  
Roxton shot her a dubious look. "Do you care to put your money where your mouth is? I know there is a bathing costume under that blouse," he said as he picked at the buttons playfully.  
  
"And how would you know that!" she demanded, feigning outrage. Roxton just grinned his lopsided grin unrepentantly.  
  
"Your on now, Lord Roxton. One of my necklaces for your hat."  
  
"Oh, confident are we?"  
  
Challenger observed the lighthearted banter. Getting into the spirit he jumped up and drew a line in the sand. "Alright you two, out to the rock and back, the first one to cross the line wins."  
  
By this time Veronica and Finn had found their way back to the blanket and were also eagerly awaiting the race.  
  
Marguerite stripped down to her bathing suit and stood next to the waiting Roxton.  
  
"Ready. Set. Go!" Challenger's arm dropped and Roxton hit the sand as Marguerite darted passed him laughing.  
  
"I'll get you for that Marguerite!" he cried as he scrambled to catch up before she reached the water.  
  
"Only if you can catch me!" she taunted behind her.  
  
Marguerite splashed into the water first and was already a fair distance by the time Roxton was knee deep and ready to dive in. Before he could take the plunge something in the distance caught his eye.  
  
"Marguerite! STOP!" As if on reflex she turned to look at him, recognizing the distress, something he could never fake for the sake of winning a race. "There is something in the water, you need to swim back as inconspicuously as you can."  
  
Marguerite looked back at him, letting him know how ludicrous that sounded, but complied to the best of her ability. Before she took three strokes she felt a slimy appendage wrap about her ankle. "Roxton, there is something dow." Before she could finish her statement she was dragged under kicking and screaming.  
  
"MARGUERITE!" Roxton dove in with Veronica right behind him, swimming for all he was worth to reach her before it was too late.  
  
Veronica trailed him, less frantic, and had thought to grab one of her knives, which she held in her teeth.  
  
Once Roxton reached the place where Marguerite had disappeared he dove. Both rescuers searched the depths to no avail.  
  
It had been nearly 5 minutes since Marguerite went under and Veronica was sure that they were never going to find her when her hand brushed against a soft object. She clamped onto it and dragged it to the surface.  
  
Dark hair massed around her and she knew that she had found Marguerite. As quickly as possible she began to make her way back to the beach where an anxious Challenger and Finn waited. Roxton came up in the distance, and followed Veronica when he saw her.  
  
Veronica collapsed on the beach next to Marguerite's body and watched Challenger examine her.  
  
"She's not breathing," he stated as Roxton dragged himself up to them.  
  
"Well, can't you do something?" he asked.  
  
"I'm getting to that, she still has a weak pulse, we just need to get the water out of her."  
  
He turned her over and began pressing her back, trying to force the water out of her lungs. Finn watched for a moment as nothing happened. Then she forced him out of the way and turned Marguerite back onto her back.  
  
"What are you doing!" Challenger demanded.  
  
"CPR." Finn started chest compressions and by the third breath Marguerite was coughing up the water.  
  
She didn't open her eyes, but she did start breathing on her own. Roxton knelt beside Marguerite and brushed her wet hair away from her face, trying to rouse her to consciousness, but when he drew his hand back it was covered in blood.  
  
"CHALLENGER!" 


	2. Oh Crap

Marguerite had been unconscious for a week, Challenger and Finn called it a coma and there were no signs of her coming out of it.  
  
Roxton had taken up residence in her room, sleeping on the rickety chair Marguerite had for some reason always insisted in keeping in her room. Her head was wrapped in a clean white bandage that also made Roxton think she looked very small every time he looked at her.  
  
Roxton woke to a rustling sound coming from the bed, and looked in that direction with hope in his eyes. To his immense relief, Marguerite was sitting up and looking around the room, but for some reason was sucking on her thumb.  
  
"Marguerite?" he called, getting her attention. She whirled in her bed to face him, horror written across her face. The fear seemed to ebb when she saw him, but not much.  
  
"Who arew you?" she asked in a small childlike voice.  
  
Confused and getting worried, he answered, "It's me, Roxton." Instantly the terror returned ten fold.  
  
"Lorwd Wokthton?! Pweathe don't whip me, sirw. I'm sowwy for pwaying in the thtanding thtones," she pleaded frantically, leaping out of the bed and backing away from him. Roxton tried to approach her, but she wouldn't let him, and wailed all the louder whenever he got close, jumping away and scrambling to the far side of the room.  
  
It wasn't long before the rest of the household was running into the room to see what was going on. The presence of three more people only made things worse. By this time anything that might have made sense coming from Marguerite had become incoherent ramblings as she dodged the four people trying to calm her down.  
  
"What did you do?!" Veronica demanded, covering her ears.  
  
"I didn't do anything, she just went nuts!" Roxton defended  
  
Suddenly something Marguerite was shrieking struck home in Veronica's mind. "Pweathe don't teww Unca Fwanthith."  
  
"Everybody out!" she ordered sternly, taking the explorers by surprise. "I'll handle this, but she isn't going to calm down until all of you leave."  
  
Finn, Challenger and Roxton hurried to comply, tripping over each other, all wanting the awful noise Marguerite was making to stop.  
  
As soon as they were gone Veronica took a slow step toward the frightened woman. "Marguerite, it's me, Veronica. Do you know who I am?"  
  
"Arew you Lorwd Wokthton'th wife?" she sniffled, beginning to calm down after the men left the room.  
  
Veronica brow creased. "No, Lord Roxton isn't married," she stated as she moved a little closer.  
  
Marguerite screwed up her face in confusion, "Yeth he ith, and has two boyth, boff biggerw than me, I theen 'em."  
  
Veronica stopped her slow advance and starred at Marguerite, who was sucking her thumb, a sick feeling of dread creeping through her. "Marguerite, how old are you?"  
  
"I'm thix and a half," she answered, pulling her self up taller in pride.  
  
Veronica wiped her hand across her face. "We are in so much trouble."  
  
***  
  
Now it is your turn, see the little purple button at the bottom of the screen. If you click on it a little window will pop up for you to type in.  
  
Please do so now, and remember, all answers must be in the form of a question. ;)  
  
II II II II II \/ 


	3. The Plan

Evil Irish Eyes: Feel free to use the hat scenario, and thanks for the great review  
  
Dragon: There are reasons for the way I'm writing it, so just bare with me, and also in my own defense, I didn't even really learn to talk until after I turned four, but that sometimes happens when you're the oldest kid.  
  
Courtney, Michi, brainfear, and Sabrina: Thanks for dropping me a line. I appreciate it.  
  
Pam: Thanks for the shameless plug on my Chance Encounters Series, I'm glad you're enjoying them, and I hope this one lives up to them.  
  
Lady Primrose Roxton: What big nasty got Marguerite? I'll leave that to your imagination. Who would've won the race? I'll leave that one to your imagination as well. As for your last question, Lassie decided Timmy was way too much trouble and went to find Jody.  
  
Now, on to the next chapter.  
  
***  
  
Challenger, Finn and Roxton sat around the table staring at the staircase, waiting for Veronica to come up. It had been pretty quite for about an hour now, and all were wondering what was going on.  
  
Finally they heard footfalls as Veronica ascended to the main living level and everyone rose to meet her.  
  
Everyone started asking questions at once. Veronica held up her hands for silence, and when they finally complied she pointed at Roxton, "You first."  
  
"Is she OK?"  
  
"That depends on your definition of OK. Physically, I think she is going to be fine, but Challenger will need to have a look at her before we can declare her out of any kind danger zone."  
  
"I feel a 'but' coming on," Roxton commented.  
  
"She is a little confused about where she is and who we are."  
  
Roxton looked at Challenger then back at Veronica, "What do you mean 'a little confused?'"  
  
"Well, she thinks that you are Lord Richard Roxton and that this is your estate back in England."  
  
Roxton's perplexed expression deepened, "But Richard Roxton was my fath.Oh no." Realization dawned on him and he looked to Veronica for confirmation, "She doesn't, does she?"  
  
With her nod of affirmation Challenger caught on, "Utterly fascinating, I must go examine her right away."  
  
Challenger moved to pass Veronica, but she jumped in his path. "Not unless you want a repeat performance of what happened earlier. Right now she is scared witless and your not going near her without me, do you understand."  
  
"But Veronica, the scientific implications of this must be explored."  
  
"Then you can explore them later," she stated.  
  
Finn had watched the older residents go back and forth, but could not make heads or tails out of what they were saying. Finally, out of exasperation she demanded, "Will someone please tell me what you're talking about?"  
  
Veronica turned to her, "Marguerite thinks she is 6 years old."  
  
Finn stared at her for a moment soaking in the information, and then answered, "Well, I'm not babysitting her. As bad as she is an adult, I hate to think about what she was like when she was a kid."  
  
Roxton went out on the balcony as he heard Veronica field Challenger's questions, which was no easy task, knowing him.  
  
It was getting dark by now and Marguerite was probably asleep downstairs. Finn was assigned to make dinner tonight, and he could hear her in there now clanging dishes.  
  
Challenger was finally quiet, and a quick glance told him that Veronica had talked him into checking on Arthur the Beetle or something similar.  
  
With a deep sigh he wiped his hand across his face, trying to rub the exhaustion from his vigil away.  
  
A voice behind him made him jump, "You haven't said much, are you alright?" Veronica asked.  
  
"Yeah, I was just thinking."  
  
Veronica looked at him thoughtfully, "Can I ask what about?"  
  
Roxton shrugged, "I once asked Marguerite what her childhood was like and she got very upset, telling me that dredging up the past would bring to much pain. I had hoped she was only exaggerating, but the way she reacted earlier to all of us, like she thought we were going to hurt her, the true fear in her eyes when she saw me, it wrenched my heart."  
  
Veronica nodded in understanding, "There are some things that she's told me that I have no right to tell you, but I can tell you that her Uncle Francis," Roxton gave her a funny look, not recalling an uncle ever being mentioned. "That would be Francis Beaumont. He used to tell her that if the Roxton's ever caught her on their estate they would whip her."  
  
"That would be why she was so frightened of me, and kept darting away every time I got close."  
  
"Exactly, I tried to explain to the best of my ability where she was, and that we won't hurt her, but I don't think she is very trusting of adults, and it is kind of hard to grasp why you went to bed yesterday in England and woke up in the middle of South America, especially when you are so young. Right now she either thinks I'm Lady Roxton or one of the maids at Avebury Manor. She thinks you are your father, and nothing I've said can convince her otherwise. She is just sure that if I leave you or Challenger alone with her you are going to whip her within an inch of her life."  
  
Roxton's shoulder's slumped, "What kind of childhood must she have had to believe anyone would do that to her? It's just unimaginable."  
  
Veronica nodded in agreement, "Yeah. To be so scared all the time." Suddenly Veronica brightened, "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Roxton asked, bewildered.  
  
"Well, as long as Marguerite thinks that she is 6, maybe we can make this the childhood she should have had. She may not remember it when we get the old Marguerite back."  
  
"If we get her back," Roxton interrupted.  
  
"Hey, you have to think positively," Veronica scolded.  
  
Roxton smiled at her, "Now your starting to sound like Malone."  
  
"Maybe I am, but there is nothing wrong with a little optimism, especially at times like this. So, what do you say, should we give Marguerite a second childhood to remember."  
  
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."  
  
***  
  
Alright, it's your turn again, please leave me a little note to let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is excepted, just please don't flame me.  
  
Thanx,  
  
Erica 


End file.
